Hunter of Twilight
by PsycopathicPyromaniac
Summary: My little retake of the story of Twilight Princess. Strong, vicious and eternally loyal, Hunter is cast into an adventure that will forever change the way he views life, death, and love. Rated M for language, violence, things of that basic nature.
1. The Guardian

Welcome to the first of my longer stories which, and I can say this quite happily actually, I have finally begun working on again. Anyways, this is my little retake on the story of Twilight Princess and a bit of my own creation as well. I'm trying to follow the story line as closely as possible but I am going to change a few of the dialogues later on, just to keep with the overall picture. However if you happen to think that I'm missing something, or if there's something specific you would like to see, don't hesitate to tell me. Well then, without further adu, I give you… The Hunter of Twilight.  
p.s. I don't own Zelda

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Chapter 1: The Guardian

Hunter was a mercenary; one of the best of the Dagashi, a group of highly trained individuals living on the outskirts of the Gerudo Desert. He had quickly gained the title of 'best swordsman' in his class, wore more titles than he had years, and had done work for royalty in Hyrule, Termina, Labrynna, Holodrum, and the island of Koholint. Yet here he was, sleeping in a tree on the outskirts of a small village called Ordon. He had been sent to meet the mayor of the town who, unfortunately for him, was not even there.

Hunter had been in the town for three days, each without the mayor Bo showing up. Every day he'd had to stay at the small town, his temper had slowly begun to grow worse. At the moment he was pacing back and forth in his tree house as a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Hunter? You in there?" It was Rusl, the town blacksmith and swords master. Rusl was one of the few people whom Hunter could actually talk to without become even more annoyed at his situation.

'Where else would I be right now?' he thought with a frown. This situation was definitely not helping with his anger problems. After a minute of waiting to make sure the villager was alone he answered.

"It's open," Hunter said coldly. Despite being only nineteen his voice carried a deep tone of experience. As the door opened the aging swordsman looked into the dark room, gazing over at the young mercenary. Despite being alone and inside, Hunter was still armed to the teeth with two swords on his back, various throwing knives strapped to his sides, and two hunting knives one on each of his calves. The armor that he wore was leather encased metal plating, bearing his personal insignia on the right shoulder. All of his armor, underclothing and the sheaths of his weapons were the customary black and silver of the Dagashi.

"I was told to come over and get you," Rusl said with a smile.

"Get me; what for?" Hunter asked.

"It seems as if the mayor and his daughter will be arriving home shortly. They asked if you would meet them at their house."

"Of course," the boy said quickly. Grabbing his long black cloak he followed Rusl into the town entrance. He had only been in the village one other time, when he first arrived to show that he was there, but he still had an odd feeling about the town. "It's the openness,' he thought to himself gravely, 'if needs be there's no good place to hide the inhabitants, and one exit.'

Stopping in front of the mayor's house he looked around once more. 'Let's just get this over with,' he thought. It wasn't long before a single horse-drawn carriage pulled up in front of the waiting men.

"You must be the mercenary," said the large driver stepping down from atop the carriage. "Names Bo, but I'm sure you already knew that."

Shaking his hand Hunter could feel that he had once been a very strong man. "You used to wrestle, didn't you?" he asked.

"Ha, and how did you figure that one out, we just met," Bo answered with a laugh.

"Your knuckles. Most people that I know who wrestle have rough calluses on both their hands and feet from rubbing against the dirt."

"Ah an observant lad, I like that." Turning to Rusl he said, "Ilia is still asleep in the back. I would appreciate it if you could keep her at you house tonight."

"I'd be glad to," he replied with a smile, "I'm sure Collin would appreciate the company as well."

"Thank you old friend," Bo said embracing the man before him. "I'm sure that me and…"

"Hunter," replied the mercenary. "You can call me Hunter."

"Hm, odd name. Anyways, I'm sure Hunter and I will have quite a bit to talk about tonight and I'd rather Ilia get her sleep tonight; she hasn't seemed to be doing well recently." AS Rusl quietly led away the carriage, Bo motioned for Hunter to follow him into the house.

"I was a bit surprised to hear that the princess was sending one of the Dagashi over here," Bo said as he sat down, "if anything I was expecting more than just one person."

"You're most likely thinking of the normal Hylian guard," Hunter said with a faint smile. The Dagashi are much better trained and a lot more disciplined. But I'm still not aware of the reason I am here."

"You mean to say that no one told you?"

"No," he said simply. After a moment of silence he continued. "I was told by Teacher that I was being sent down to Ordon Village, that's it."

Bo stood, only to sit back down as if reconsidering. With a glance at Hunter he stood once more and made his way over to the small stove set in the wall. "We have had some trouble with monsters recently," he said lighting a small fire under his teakettle. "We're not entirely sure why, but it seems more and more have been moving into the Faron woods north of here."

"Is it unusual for them to do so?" Hunter said. "I only ask because out in the desert they are actually quite common."

"Yes for this forest it is quite… odd. Tea?" he asked holding up the kettle.

"No thank you. So you're saying that I'm here to act as a… guardian, in some sense."

"Unfortunately yes." Hunter could see that admitting the fact the town needed the mercenaries help was hard on the old man. "While Rusl is an experienced swordsman, he is getting along in his years. That, plus the worries of what would happen to his family, well…" He didn't need to finish; Hunter had seen firsthand the worries that a family man had. That was one of the reasons the Dagashi never married, so they wouldn't be weighed down.

"Very well," said Hunter. "Luckily this town is quite small so it shouldn't be too hard to protect it."

"Then you'll do it?"

"Of course, that's why I'm here." Hunter was surprised at the shocked tone that Bo had in his voice. "I promise you that no matter what happens I will make sure that every citizen here is protected. You have my word."

Bo smiled, a small tear gathering at the corner of his eye. "Thank you Hunter."

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Not much for the storyline in this chapter, although it is the first so whatever. I can honestly say the next will be much more action as well as storyline. So until then, I bid you...  
Good Day and Good Hunting.


	2. Earning Your Keep

Chapter 2 is finally up and for that I'm really freakin happy. Once more, Don't own the game, wish I did but I don't. Now read... please.  
p.s. Thanks to **Evil Riggs **for reviewing the last chapter, I really apreciate it.

* * *

"Hunter! Huunnnterrr!" Three kids stood at the base of the mercenary's residence, calling up at his window. Talo, Malo, and Beth were three of the village kids had had, despite his many objections, decided to befriend Hunter while he stayed in Ordon. For the last two weeks the mercenary had been staying at the town, he had been trying to teach Talo the basics of swordplay; at least, when he had the time.

"He's not there," said a voice from the town entrance. Turning around, the three friends saw Collin standing against the side of the open gate.

"What! Where did he go off to already?" Talo yelled out. He was dressed in the brown leather tunic and padding that Hunter had made for him earlier, a short wooden sword hanging at his side.

"He left the town early this morning for another patrol. He's being a bit overprotective recently so he tends to leave early and come back late."

"Well, do you know when he's going to get back today?" Beth asked.

"No one knows," said another voice, this time from the entrance of the path leading to the Ordon spring. "You of all people should know that when Hunter goes out, he stays out for as long as he deems necessary," Ilia said as she lead her chestnut horse Epona back from the spring.

"Damn, you're right," Talo said with a frown, "but do you have any idea of where he might've gone?"

"Again, no one really knows. And besides that Collin's right, he has been really busy recently," Ilia replied. "Now come on, why don't you all come over to my house? I'll get you guys something to eat while we wait for Hunter to show up."

As the five walked back towards the quaint village, a small, dark figure stood in the shadows watching them. The figure slowly rose from the bushes it was hiding in, its dark eyes glowing in the pale light of the rising sun. 'Where are you, mercenary?' it thought to its self looking into the vast expanse of the forest. 'Where are you?'

* * *

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The sound of wood striking against metal rang out across the Ordon forest as Talo furiously attacked the town's newest inhabitant. "You're getting better," Hunter said easily blocking another series of attacks, "but you're still being too eager." Catching Talo's blade against his, Hunter sent it flying with a flick of his wrist, the tip of his own steel blade resting lightly before the young boy's chest.

Malo and Beth stood by clapping for their friend as they watched Talo walk over and reclaim his fallen weapon. Collin and Ilia sat over by the stable next to Hunter's house where they had watched the match. "He does seem to be getting a little better," Collin said with a small smile as the mercenary approached them.

"He's still being too anxious," he said accepting the water skin from Ilia and taking a long, slow drink. "Talo would be a much better swordsman if he wasn't so impulsive. And besides, he needs to learn to control his─"

"MONKEY!" Talo yelled out as he spotted the furry animal. He quickly bolted past the others, chasing after the creature as it tried to run away.

"Talo stop!" Hunter yelled out, but the boy was delirious as he simply ran past him after the monkey. "Damnit! Ilia, watch after the others!" Drawing his second sword off of his back, Hunter took off into the forest, following the trail left by the monkey and Talo. As he ran, Hunter thought about the various dangers he had experienced in the Faron woods. On his previous patrols, he had come across small groups of Bokablins as well as a type of carnivorous plant he later learned were called Deku Babas. Hunter knew that if Talo encountered any of those creatures, even if he was armed with his wooden sword, he wouldn't stand a chance.

'Stupid kid, running off like that,' he thought to himself coming up to the entrance of the Faron woods. "Oh fuck," he said looking down. Lying on the ground was the shattered remains of the wooden sword Talo had been using in their previous match. "This is definitely not going to end well."

* * *

"Help! Someone help us!"

Hunter had been running for nearly two hours, fighting his way through the monster infested woods, until he finally came upon the sight of a gigantic tree. Near the base of the tree sat Talo and the monkey, both tied together and imprisoned in a wooden cage. Next to them sat two Bokablins armed with short, solid wooden clubs, their backs turned away from Hunter.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Hunter swore out. The mercenary was exhausted. He had already been slightly wounded; a few small cuts and bruises while fighting, and was still tired from the trek so far. 'Note to self,' he thought as he quietly made his was over to the giant tree. 'Stop making promises like this to people you just met.' Moving quickly, Hunter made his way towards the creatures. As he caught Talo's eye, he motioned for him to be quiet so as not the alert his opponents. Approaching the turned back of the first beast, he quickly slashed out with his blade, killing it instantly. Upon seeing its companion dissolve in the customary black and purple smoke, the second Bokablin turned, swinging its cudgel at Hunter. Easily blocking the attack on his left sword he lashed out with his right, slicing the creature across its chest. With nearly inhuman speed his blades danced out, each strike leaving a shallow wound. With a final swing he casually loped of the things head and, after cleaning away the blood, sheathed his swords.

"Hunter," Talo yelled out with joy. "You actually came after me!"

"Of course I did," he said walking over to the cage, "that's what I'm being paid for. Now stand back and I'll get you two out of there." Hunter waited as the boy and monkey moved away from him and, with one powerful kick, shattered the wood around them. He quickly cut the bonds that held Talo to the animal and motioned to the boy. "Come on, if we hurry we can make it back to the village by dark."

"But what about her?" Talo asked motioning to the monkey at his side.

"I'm sure she'll be able to take care of herself," Hunter said walking away. It took the two of them another three and a half hours to make it back to Ordon; the whole time Talo trying to apologize for what happened and for what Hunter had to go through. The sun was setting when they arrived; Ilia, Collin, Rusl and Talo's parents Jaggle and Pergie sitting in front of Hunters house.

"is everything going to be alright?" Collin asked as Hunter walked up to them.

"Yeah," he said wincing slightly from the wounds he had received. "Everything is going to be fine, Talo wasn't hurt at all."

"Yes but you are," Ilia said coming over to his side. "Come on, Collin and I will take you over to the spring and fix you up."

"There's no need to do that," Hunter said in protest, "I'll be fine."

"Hunter, you can barely stand right now. With the amount you've been pushing yourself lately, plush all the wounds you've received today it's a wonder you're even able to stand right now, let alone argue with me." The two took him by the arms and quickly led the wounded mercenary over to the Ordon springs. "Now, off with the armor," Ilia said to Hunter, "I'm going to need to see how bad you're injured."

"I already said that I'm fine," he mumbled. he did do as she asked, however, and slowly slid off his weapons, armor and what was left of his now ragged black shirt. Underneath his clothing, his well tanned torso shone with sweat, as well as the blood of various small cuts on his chest, back, and arms. The same marking that was on his shoulder-plate was tattooed on his right forearm in a glowing, blood red ink.

"I'm sure you've been asked this before," Collin started nervously as Ilia began washing Hunters wounds, "But what do those markings on your arm mean."

"That's right," Ilia said looking over at him. "They were on your armor two, and the hilt of your swords. What exactly is it?"

"It's my personal insignia," he said wincing slightly as he watched the wounds slowly began to heal from the spring water. "It's kind of equal to what you would think of as a family crest. To any other member of the Dagashi, and in some countries the royalty too, it says what I do, who I've trained under, and the part of the organization that I'm positioned under." Hunter stopped mid-breath, his face bearing a look of concentration.

"Hunter?" Collin asked with a frown. "What is it, what's wrong?"

The three stood there silent, listening as a faint thudding noise slowly began to grow more pronounced. It wasn't until the gates leading to the spring were smashed open and four great boars rode in did Hunter cry out. "Bulbins!'" he cried out grabbing one of his swords. Despite his healing however, he was still weak and only able to cut down one of the creatures before a sharp pain erupted in the back of his head. The last thing he saw was Collin and Ilia being knocked out before he too slowly faded out of consciousness.

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You know, I can honestly say that I really enjoyed writing this chapter. And for any of those wondering, Hunter is NOT going to end up liking Ilia, mainly because i really can't stand her. Seriously, she loses her memory, nearly get's you killed trying to cross over to Kakariko, and then sends you on one of the most annoying sidequests in the game; how the hell am I suposed to like her. Ah well, mabye I should just kill her off later... nah I probly shouldn't do that.  
Once more I bid you, Good Day and Good Hunting.


	3. Why Do You Fight

Sorry for taking longer to post again, I've been really busy recently. Once more I would like to thank Evil Riggs for the advice, I realized once I reread the chapter that I didn't put in any description. As for showing what it is that is able to overwhelm Hunter, I'll be doing that much more in the future.  
And now, enjoy.

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The sun hung high over the vast expense of the Gerudo desert as a young boy was found sitting under what little shade there was to be found. He wore a tight fitting leather vest with a sleeveless black undershirt, and a pair of simple black pants. His eyes were closed as an old man slowly walked over to him.

"I was wondering where you ran off to," the old man said with a small smile. "Master Iris said that you lost your temper again during practice; I thought we already had this conversation Hunter."

"The others are still trying to best me," the boy said, his eyes fluttering open, "no matter how many times I beat them, they always try again. You think they would have learned by now that they aren't good enough."

"You seem to be quite confident in yours skills child," the old man laughed.

"It's not really that I'm being overconfident," Hunter said as he rose slowly from his seat, "it's just that I've proven myself to the others time and time again but they just don't seem to learn."

"I don't quite believe that's the case," the man said with a sad smile.

"What do you mean Teacher?" Hunter asked shifting his cloths to a more comfortable position after his nap.

"It's not that they don't learn when they fight you, quite the opposite in fact. They do so to prove that they will not give up, as they are taught to do. They most likely feel that the only way to show that they have gained any strength is to beat those above them."  
"Which would mean me," Hunter said finishing the thought of his master.

"Indeed. Walk with me Hunter," he said with a smile.

"Of course Teacher," he said, quickly falling in line behind him. The two mercenaries walked through what sparse garden the Dagashi were able to grow in the sun blanched dirt. The garden itself was positioned on the top of a great cliff overlooking the rest of the desert, one of various entrances to the caves of the Dagashi's hideout. It was as they were nearing the entrance to the caves leading into the cliffs when Teacher spoke out suddenly. "Why do you fight Hunter?"

""Why do I fight?" he repeated, slightly confused at the question. "Isn't that what we've been taught to do?"

"Of course, but that's not exactly what I'm asking. I want to know the Reason why you fight, not why you've been learning to fight."

"I… hmm. I'm not sure really," Hunter admitted with a frown. "I've spent my entire life being trained to fight, I guess I don't really think about why I do it now. It's almost second nature to me, like breathing, or eating."

"So you're telling me that you have no real reason to fight?" the man said with a smile.

"Well I… I mean… I guess not," Hunter said sadly.

"Well then, I suppose we'll just have to find you one then one won't we."

The two made their way towards the kitchens through the nearly empty hallways lined with flaring iron torches. As the neared the entrance to the dining rooms, Hunter finally asked the question that had been running through his mind.

"Is it really so important to find something to fight for other than survival?"

"Of course," Teacher laughed turning towards the young boy behind him. "Those who fight for only survival never truly find a reason to live. The creatures that you see in the desert, and anywhere else for that matter, they fight for survival. That is all they have ever fought for and it's all they ever will.

"That is what makes us different Hunter," he said stopping before his student, "We must find something to fight for, otherwise we will be nothing more than the rest of the monsters out there. A short lesson for you child," Teacher said kindly.

"Another lesson?" Hunter asked with a slight smile, "I thought we were past giving out lessons."

"Life is a lesson, Hunter," the old man said, "we learn something new every single day. Now going back to the previous subject, many great warriors have fallen because they simply lose their will to go forward, and give up in a fight." Hunter's mentor stopped in front of him, looking in the dark red eyes of the young mercenary. You must fight for what you truly believe in, and you will never fail."

Hunter stood watching as his master walked off into another long hallway. 'But what if I can't find anything worth fighting for?' he thought to himself.

* * *

This chapter was a bit short bit I had fun writing it; just a little bit of background about Hunter. And yes, before anyone asks 'Teacher' is the actual name that Hunter uses when referring to his master.

Once more I bid you, Good Day and Good Hunting.


	4. An Unlikely Aquantance

First off I would like to apologize for how long it's taken for me to post this, things have been a bit... hectic around my house for the past couple weeks. That paired with the fact that I've been concentrating on finishing up school, well let's just say it's been a bit hard.

Second I would like to thank those who are actually reading this, I understand it's not the best story out there but I do my best. And now with that said, let us continue with the story.

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Chapter 4: An Unlikely Acquaintance

The first thing Hunter felt as he gained consciousness was the pain, an intense burning that ran throughout his body. He could faintly feel a heavy attaching his right leg to the ground, yet something about it seemed to be wrong. He struggled as he slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurred as he tried to look around the cell he was in. It wasn't until a minute later, when his vision had fully cleared, that he froze with a mixture of shock and fear. He was staring down at his hands but it wasn't a pair of human hands that he was seeing, they were paws.

'That can't be possible,' he thought to himself. He slowly shuffled his way to the water trough in the back corner of his new residence. Yet as he saw his reflection his fears were confirmed. Staring back at him was the face of a great black and grey wolf, the same insignia that rested on his armor now imprinted on his forehead. His eyes were still the same deep, crimson red the only familiar thing about his new form.

"This can't be happening to me right now," he growled looking around the cell. The cell itself was a seven by seven foot square built entirely out of rough cut bricks, a small water trough opposite the front gate, a small pile of what looked like hay on the left, and a small wooden bow on the right corner up against the gate.

'Damnit,' he thought yanking the chain on his leg.

"You'll never get it off like that," he heard a voice say tauntingly.

Turning towards the back of the cell, Hunter saw an impish figure form out of the shadows. The creature wore only a strange black headpiece that covered its left eye, the other being a dark purple. Her hair, as he assumed it was a her, was a bright burning red that seemed to pulse as it ran down her neck and back.

"Who are you?" Hunter said as he dropped into a low crouch, his hind legs tensed.

"Oh by quite, I can't understand all that growling of yours anyways. And besides," the imp said with a sly smile, "You shouldn't be mean to me. After all, I was planning on helping you out of here." Hunter rose slowly, his muscles still tensed in anticipation of trickery. Despite the idea of a promised freedom, he didn't quite trust the figure floating before him.

"Well than let's see what we can do about that chain of yours shall we?"She closed her eyes, slowly moving her hands until they were sitting about two inches apart, palms facing each other. As she concentrated, a small ball of black energy began to form in the open space. After a few more seconds the imp shot the blast at the chain, severing it at the fifth link from his leg.

Hunter flexed his leg, taking a few hesitant steps around his cell to get accommodated to his new form. After a minute of working out the kinks he looked up at the figure above him, an unasked question burning in his eyes.

"Yes I'll help you out of here, just like I promised," she said to him, easily floating between the cell bars. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to make it easy, you'll have to find your own way out.

'Damnit,' Hunter thought to himself as he looked around his cell. Near the left side of the gate he spotted what appeared to be fresh dirt, poorly hidden beneath a small wooden box. 'Well isn't that interesting,' he thought to himself with a wolfish smile. With a quick swipe of his paw he easily smashed through the box, dug his way under his imprisonment, and appeared on the other side shaking loose clumps of dirt from his fur.

"Not bad," the imp said landing on Hunters back, "but our communications still a bit 's see if we can fix that shall we."Placing her pale hands on the wolfs head, the small girl's palms began to glow a deep purple. Hunter shuddered as a strange awareness slowly sunk its way into his head and began to spread throughout his body.

"There we are," she said happily, "and now for the test run, speak boy! Go on, speak!"Hunter remained silent, but instead turned back towards her and growled. "Alright, alright," she said playfully tugging on his ear," I'll start off then. My name is Midna, and you are?"

"My name is Hunter," he replied. Despite the fact that his voice was still the same deep growling, Midna seemed to have no problem understanding him.

"See, that wasn't so hard," Midna laughed patting him on the head. "Though I've got to admit, your names a bit strange, what's the story with that?"

"It's just one of the many I've gone by over the years." His answer was simple, but it seemed to quell her curiosity for the moment. "Now, we still need to get out of this place."

"Oh, I guess. Why don't we try the next cell over, there should be a path that leads down to the sewers. We should be able to get up to the roofs from there."

"Great," he said dryly. Making his way to the next cell, he noticed it was nearly the same as the one he had just left, except for a long chain hanging from the roof. 'I take it that would be my way in,' he thought. Leaping up at the chain he took the ring at the end in his teeth, using his own weight to trigger the mechanism on the other end.

"Not bad," Midna said to her partner as he dropped to the ground. "Let's get going, there's someone that we need to be meeting soon and we don't want to keep them waiting."

Hunter smiled, an odd wolfish grin as he leapt into the shadows. 'Time for some fun.'

* * *

Another short chapter unfortunately, but I promise the next one's going to be longer. Honestly though, I was fairly happy with how this one came out in the end. The whole communication thing between Midna and Hunter might be further explained later but basically it's like telepathy, just slightly different.

Once more I bid you, Good Day and Good Hunting.


	5. Princess of Destiny

Once more, I feel the need to apologize for not having this chapter up for such a long time, though I actually did have a reason… kind of. My laptop has suddenly decided that it no longer wants me to log on to Fanfic so it's decided not to show anything when I try to open up the site. However, it's started cooperating today so… here I am. Anyways, thanks again to all those reading, here's chapter five.  
P.S. There's a curse word or two in this chapter, just a small warning.

* * *

Chapter 5: Princess of Destiny

Hunter had been traveling with Midna for nearly three hours by the time he reached the roofs, working his way through the vast expanse of the underground sewers. During that time he had quickly become accustomed fighting with tooth and claw as opposed to iron and steel. He had also learned to use his new senses, a handy trick that allowed him to see things normally invisible to the naked eye.

"How much longer?" Hunter asked coming to the inside of a large tower.

"Is someone getting a little tired?" Midna taunted.

"You try doing this shit for three hours strait and let's see how you feel," he growled, carefully climbing the broken stairwell. "Besides, it's not like I've gotten much sleep as it is."

Midna laughed as Hunter continued to leap from stone to stone, clearing the gaps in the stairs. "Once we get out into the open it won't take too much longer." She was silent for a moment before continuing. "By the way, have you been able to figure out where we are yet?"

"I've been going through sewers this whole time Midna. Every major city I've been in has sewers like this; we could be in various places.

"Well than," she said as they came upon an old wooden door, "why don't we find out?" As Hunter nosed open the door and walked out into the open air, Midna flew up into the dark sky. The mercenary looked out in shock; the sky was no longer the familiar bright blue that he had once known, but a dark yellow-orange with faded black clouds, strange particles floating in the air around him.

"Oh aren't the clouds of Twilight just beautiful today!" Midna said, happily floating through the air.

"Twilight…" Hunter said absently, looking around his surroundings. He was sitting one of the towers of a great castle, the three-triangle insignia of Hyrule resting above the doorway he had just passed through. "Wait, that can't be right," he said, his newly enhanced vision taking in the sights around him, "this… this is Hyrule castle."

"Well of course it is," Midna said landing once more on his back, "honestly Hunter, were did you think we were?"

"But that makes absolutely no sense. Why would I be stuck in a Hylian jail cell looking like a wolf?"

Midna laughed quietly to herself, "I like how you question the jail cell thing first," she said looking over at him. "Or do you wake up as a wolf every morning."

"You didn't answer my question," he said, his dark eyes narrowing on her.

"No, I didn't. But you didn't answer mine either so that makes us even."

Hunter sighed, this was definitely not going to be an easy trip if he was going to have to deal with these type of things. "Fine, I'll answer your question. No I do not wake up as a wolf in the morning, the reason I asked about the prisons first is because I've had bad experiences with them before, and like I said earlier I couldn't tell where we are since we travelled through the sewers.

Now, do you have any other pointless questions or can we continue?"

"Not at the moment," she said cutely.

The two continued on, Hunter fighting his way across the rooftops. If it wasn't for the fact that he was almost constantly surrounded by various kargarok, large bird like creatures, with leathery blue skin, a long forked tail, and a heavily curved beak, he would have taken the time to enjoy the view. The creatures themselves were about seven feet in length with a wingspan nearly twice the size, much greater than his now five foot length and three feet in height.

"Damnit," Hunter growled as he slashed through another creature. "They just won't fucking end!"

"Quickly!" Midna said pointing to a small window opening in the tower before them. Hunter ran towards the open portal, his body expanding and contracting in a full out sprint. Ignoring the shrieks of the bird-like creatures that surrounded him, Hunter dove through the window, his legs buckling as he landing awkwardly on a set of stairs.

"Are you alright?" Midna asked with a smirk as she watched the wolf shake himself out.

"I'll be fine," Hunter said; his voice a slight grown due to the spreading weariness in his body. Even though he was now fairly comfortable with his new form, he still received a few wounds from his trek on the rooftops.

"You sure you're good?" she asked with a cold, dark laugh.

"I said I'm fine," he growled, slowly climbing the stairs.

Midna just continued to smile cruelly as they continued up the tower. When they reached the top, Hunter quietly crept towards the slightly ajar door, ready to face whatever was on the other side. Luckily for him, the hinges remained quiet as he nosed it open.

The first thing the mercenary did was take in his new surroundings. He had found his way into a small bedroom, a fire burning to his right, a large curtained bed to his left. Creeping forward he saw a hooded figure standing before a lard window, its back turned towards the wolf and his rider. He crouched low and growled a low challenge causing the figure to turn in shock.

Hunter rose in surprise; he had definitely seen the girl standing before him. "Midna?" the girl asked, looking at the figure on his back. "Is… is that really you?"

"So you actually remember my name," the imp said lying down on Hunters back, "I should feel honored."

"You've risked a great deal coming her Midna, the guards have been looking everywhere for you." The girl looked down at the wolf, her bright blue eyes filled with deep sorrow. "So this is the one you've been looking for?"

"He's not exactly what I expected," Midna replied sitting up, "but I guess he'll do."

"I don't appreciate being talked about as if I'm not here," Hunter said, growling his discontent at his companion. "Though it is nice to see you again… princess."

The girl before him smiled slightly as she pulled down her hood. Princess Zelda was fairly young, only twenty one years old, had soft pale skin, cerulean blue eyes, and a frame of golden blond hair. "I was wondering if you would recognize me after all these years Hunter. I take it, however, that this is not a very good time to catch up on personal lives."

"Unfortunately no," he said. "What can you tell me of what happened to the castle?"

"This country has been cast into turmoil; Twilight has begun to spread. I was too foolish to see what would happen before, and now it seems it is too late."

"Oh don't be so dramatic, is living in the perpetual shadows of Twilight really so bad?" Midna said with a taunting smile.

"Our lives were not meant for this," the princess replied. "Are worlds are meant to remain separate, for reasons you know quite well."

Midna cast of the accusation like it was a common act, though Hunter carefully stored the information. Hearing a noise from the base of the staircase, the princess looked over at the wolf, "The guards will be making the rounds; it's time for you to leave."

Hunter bowed his head to the princess in recognition and quickly made his way down the stairs. "Stop!" Midna said pulling him to a stop and listening closely. They watched as a faint light slowly moved closer.

"Boy they're prompt," she said as Hunter leapt up through the open window, once more going out into the dark Twilight that coated Hyrule.

"Ugh, wake up you lazy creature." Hunter was slowly roused out of a light sleep by a loud voice calling out to him. He slowly rose, stretching as he did, and shook the rain from his fur. He and Midna had hid themselves up on the rooftops while he rested from his previous trek, getting themselves caught it a small drizzle in the process.

"You're really had to wake up you know," Midna said with a frown.

"That's usually what happens when you miss a few days of sleep," he replied casually. "Now I believe you have a promise to keep."

"Oh do I now? And what promise was that may I ask," she said almost flirtatiously.

"Getting me out of the Twilight. In case you've forgotten, there are still a few things I need to take care of and it's a bit hard to do like this."

"Oh very well. I'll take you back to where you first entered the Twilight, after that though it's up to you."

"What do you mean 'it's up to me'?" Hunter asked her. "What's up to me?"

Midna smiled; a cold knowing look that sent shivers down the mercenary's spine. "Everything," she said. Before he could answer a cold shiver shot through his body as he dissolved into small dark particles, floating away into the air.

Seconds later, Hunter dropped to the ground after reforming, shaking out the discomfort of the trip. It was a cold night when he arrived, the sun having just set over the Ordon forest.

"Well, wasn't that fun," he heard Midna saying, yet looking around she was nowhere to be seen. She laughed as she floated out of his shadow, now just a dark silhouette.

"Well look at you, looks like you're still wearing your fur," his companion said with a smirk.

"And you're not going to tell me why are you?" the wolf asked.

"Oh no, not yet." The imp smiled viciously as she floated before him. "Now, there's something that I need you to do for me before we can go back into the Twilight to get you all fixed up."

"So basically, I'm working for you now."

"I wouldn't say working; it's more like… like a partnership," she said with a smile.

"Like I said: work." Hunter slowly began walking towards the gate before stopping suddenly, turning towards the dark silhouette. "Just out of curiosity, what is it I'm going to be getting for you?"

"Easy," Midna said, once more sinking into his shadow. "I just need you to find me a capable sword and shield."

Hunter sighed, "Very well," he said simply

* * *

Well there it is, not my favorite chapter I've written, though we did get to see a bit more of Midna and her cruel ways. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the measurements I made for Hunter's wolf for are slightly larger than that of an average grey wolf.

Once more I bid you, Good Day, and Good Hunting.


	6. Playing Thief

Look everyone, this chapter actually on time… kind of. Anyways, this chapter actually matches fairly well with the game, something that I'm quite proud of seeing as I'm writing this from memory. I guess it helps when you've beaten the game about fifteen times, but still. Alright, read… now… please.

* * *

Chapter 6: Playing Thief

"Are you sure you know what you're doing" a voice asked softly.

"For the eighth time now, yes." Hunter was crouched low in the tall grass of Ordon, two figures talking in whispered tones before him. He had been roaming the small village for nearly half an hour before gaining a location of his prize.

The two figures standing before him were the mayor Bo and Jagle, the father of Malo and Talo. Hunter had quickly hidden when nearby when the two started talking about a shield resting in Jagle's house.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Bo asked quietly.

"Of course, it's resting up in our loft right now."

"Good," the mayor said with a sigh. "With Hunter's disappearance the monsters are coming back as bad as ever. I have to do what I can to take care of this problem; I'm putting you in charge until I get back."

"Are you insane?" Jagle said in shock. "Rusl went out armed and look what happened to him. If you go out there by yourself you'll be slaughtered!"

"I'll be fine, just take care of the others," Bo said. Without waiting for a reply he walked off, passing Hunter as he went.

"Well now, wasn't that interesting," Midna said after the two men left. "Now we just need to get inside that house."

"That'll be fairly simple," Hunter said rising from his hiding spot. "They leave the window that leads to the waterwheel open; that should lead to the second floor. If I can get on top of the market roof, I'll be able to make my way over there."

"Alright then, let's go."Hunter ran through the village, still marveling at the ease at which he could now travel. He made his way over to the market and easily leapt onto the roof via a small mound of dirt on the side of the building. With three more jumps, and almost falling into the stream below, he stood on the roof of his destination.

"Well that was easy," Midna said floating beside him. "You'd think they would have a bit more in the line of protection, what with all the monsters and all."

"That's what I was here for." He companion said sadly. "Now if you're done talking, let us continue."

A short minute later, Hunter lay on the ground outside, his fur dripping with pond water. His prize however, a stout wooden shield engraved with the emblem of a goat head, was resting on his back.

"Was it entirely necessary to jump out of the window, into the water, were people will here?" Midna asked, a small smile playing across her lips.

"Necessary no, but it was the quickest way out of the building."

"Hm… acceptable. Though we still need to find a sword."

Hunter sat there for a few seconds, thinking of where he could find one. "I'm pretty sure I know where I can get one, but I doubt it'll be easy." The wolf and his rider made their way to a house near the back of the town, hidden almost by a small alcove. "Rusl and his wife Uli live here with their son," Hunter explained. "If we can get them outside, I'll be able to dig in through the side of the building."

"Good. But uh… how exactly do you plan on getting them outside?"

"I'll think of something." That something turned out to be taking a large stone in his jaws and flinging it at the front door. As the inhabitants quickly ran, or in Rusl's case stumbled, outside, Hunter made his way into the building, grabbed a sword lying on the couch and made his way to freedom once more.

Midna was laughing hysterically as Hunter swiftly made his way out of the village, his dark fur blending in with the shadows as he went. "You are such a little thief," she said through her laughter.

"I'm a mercenary, what did you expect? Besides, we have to make ourselves adaptable to the circumstance; it's one of the first things we learn growing up." As he walked past the spring, the wolf heard a soft voice call out to him.

"Wait… come to my spring." Hunter slowly crept forward, hair standing on end in anticipation. As he neared the base of the spring, six black pillars fell before him, strange purple flames leaping up between the stones.

"A beast of shadows approaches," he heard faintly. Looking towards the sky, Hunter watched as a dark portal opened in the sky, depositing a black creature before him. It was fairly humanoid, resting however on both arms and legs. Its long black body was covered in glowing green ruins; a mask similar to the style Midna wore covered its face.

"Careful Hunter," Midna said coming to a hover beside him, "these are Twili Messengers; dark beings able to crush any who get in their way."

"Messenger or master, it's in my way." Hunter circled the creature, fangs bared, eyes focused, as he readied his attack. The creature before him made a few strong swipes at the wolf, but they were slow enough for Hunter to dodge by simply jumping away. 'Enough playing around,' he thought. Dodging another swipe, he went on to the offensive, bolting past the creature to deliver a solid tear through its leg. Spinning in the dirt, the wolf's body tensed, its legs coiling up, waiting to release their pent up energy.

Watching the creature turn to face him, he noticed the wound to its leg hindering its movement. "And now," Hunter said, "it's time for you to die!" The wolf sprang forward, raping his teeth around his opponents neck. It was over in a matter of seconds, the creature disintegrating into small black particles that formed a portal above the spring.

"Thank you hero," the voice from the spring said. With a flash of white light the appeared before him, a great shining goat with a ball of light between its two curved horns. "My name is Ordona, the spirit of this spring."

"I am honored great spirit," Hunter said, bowing his head in respect. "Though I do have a few questions I would like to ask you."

"You wish to know why remain in that form… even upon entering the light."

"That's definitely one of them. My companion's not really the best at explanations."

"I find that offensive," Midna said with a frown.

"The creatures of Twilight have once more begun to roam… the world is falling into shadows. My brothers light has been stolen by the shadow beings… you must return that light. Only then will you be able to return to your true form."

Hunter nodded again and turned towards the entrance to the spring. "Be careful," he heard the spirit whisper as it faded back into the water.

'Carful?' he thought to himself with a dark smirk. 'Yeah, like that's ever going to happen.'

* * *

I got to admit, this was my favorite chapter to write so far… at least, of those I've posted. We get to see both Hunter and Midna's personalities conflicting, a bit of Hunters more violent characteristics, and even humor… and who doesn't like a bit of dark sadistic humor.

Once more I bid you, Good Day and Good Hunting.


End file.
